


The Third Option

by ShadowsOffense



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Closeted Character, Multi, Prompt Fill, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-04
Updated: 2013-10-04
Packaged: 2017-12-28 10:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/990717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOffense/pseuds/ShadowsOffense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place right after “Half a life” and deals with the fall out.  Harvey thinks about things after he is taken back to Arkham.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Third Option

Harvey was never one for a sure thing. He didn’t care much for hopeless causes either. The outcome needed to be in question; two possibilities, no more, no less, each equally likely.

He hadn’t been estimating the odds were 50-50, he had been sure.

Of course, _she_ never cared about the odds. Oh no, certain defeat or certain victory, it didn’t matter to her; she didn’t give up and she didn’t give less than a hundred percent. He had learned that as they struggled over the gun. They had been perfectly matched, perfectly even, and yet the outcome _hadn’t_ been 50-50. Neither able to win, neither able to loose, it had been a sure thing, a hopeless stalemate. And she hadn’t given a damn, as long as she went down swinging. 

They had nearly died together; only the Bat’s usual, timely arrival had prevented it. 

It wasn’t supposed to have been like that. Back in Arkham, Harvey found himself second guessing his usual, exact calculations. His coin lay flat in his palm. Scarred side. Smooth side. Scarred side. Smooth side. It was one, or it was the other. _He_ was one, or _he_ was the other. Either. Or. Never both, never balanced.

_She_ was the coin on its edge. The unanswered question. The one thing he couldn’t prepare for.

Somehow, everything had gone wrong; because of her, he doubted himself.

Finally, Harvey was able to find some comfort as news filtered in, slowly, through overheard gossip one day and bribed informants the next (depending on which way the coin landed). Her family’s reaction. The steady slide into alcoholism. She had half-ruined his life, he had half-ruined hers. 

He guessed this type of compromise was what a relationship was all about. And everyday he flipped for whether he loved or hated her for it. 

But, really, he did both.


End file.
